Rendezvous at Midlife by Maggie Blake blitz with giveaway
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Rendezvous at Midlife
Maggie Blake
Publication date: June 11th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
A fateful meeting in an airport sends her on the journey of her life.
Margot had always been a woman who knew what she wanted. She worked hard to build her successful locations scouting business in Los Angeles, and in her late forties, Margot felt she was in the prime of her life. A prosperous businesswoman with a loving husband and a beautiful daughter, Margot was living the dream. That is, until her husband left her for a younger woman. Moving forward with the help of her daughter and best friend, Margot once again enters the dating scene and soon finds that she is unable to make a meaningful connection.
Vaughn Jameson has spent his life on the road as a drummer for a well-known rock band, thankful to be living his childhood dream of making music and good times. While he yearns for something more, he isn’t sure what.
Margot and Vaughn’s lives change when they have a chance meeting that sends them on an incredible rendezvous at midlife.
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EXCERPT:
He started to pour more wine into her glass. “Rick, it’s been fascinating hearing about your accomplishments,” she said, deciding to give it one last try. “But I’d love to hear more about who you are as a person—what makes you tick, what drives you beyond these material achievements.”
“Uh…” he hesitated, clearly unprepared for such introspection. “I guess I just love the thrill of success, you know? The pursuit of excellence in all that I do.”
And there we have it—back to square one.
Margot’s eyes widened as she watched Rick, his mouth moving animatedly while recounting yet another tale of success. She noticed how the candlelight flickered across his slicked-back hair, casting shadows that seemed to emphasize his self-absorption.
“Rick,” Margot interjected with a tight-lipped smile, “I must say, your life is like a never-ending highlight reel. You should consider
carrying around a billboard with all your accomplishments on it—you know, just to save time.”
“Ha!” he laughed, missing the sarcasm completely. “That’s not a bad idea, actually. But you know, I prefer to let my actions speak for themselves.”
Margot stifled a groan and took a really long sip of her wine, feeling the frustration bubble within her. She had given him every opportunity to reveal a more genuine side, but it seemed the universe was determined to test her patience.
Okay, Margot, time for some tough love. Maybe he just needs a little nudge in the right direction.
Leaning forward and catching his gaze, she said, “You’ve clearly led an impressive life, but I’m curious. Have you ever considered that there might be more to a person than their achievements?”
He blinked at her, seeming genuinely puzzled by the concept. “Well, sure, Margot. But isn’t that what makes us interesting? Our successes, our victories? What else is there?”
Margot sighed, realizing that this red flag was flapping wildly in the wind and she’d been ignoring it. Rick wasn’t taking any social cues from her blatant hints, and it dawned on her that he might not be genuinely interested in getting to know her at all. Or, for that matter, letting her know him.
“Margot?” Rick prompted, his eyebrows raised in anticipation of her response.
“I think what truly makes a person interesting is their ability to connect with others, Rick,” she began carefully, “To genuinely listen and engage with someone beyond just listing their accomplishments. Also, successes are great, but it’s the failures we’ve overcome that make a life worth hearing about. The shared journey.”
“Ah.” He looked slightly disarmed, but quickly recovered. “Well, Margot, surely you must realize that success is the result of failure. In that, I have shared my journey with you.”
When she didn’t respond, he shifted gears. “Okay, I am sure you have some fascinating stories of your own. Tell me, what’s your greatest achievement?”
Margot stared at him for a moment, realizing that, despite her best efforts, Rick was simply incapable of grasping the concept of genuine connection. With a sad smile, she replied, “My greatest achievement, Rick? Learning when it’s time to walk away.” With that, she placed her napkin over her plate, reached into her purse, laid a hundred-dollar bill onto the table, stood up, and left the restaurant.
Author Bio:
Maggie Blake, proud owner of a top-rated property management company in the greater Baton Rouge area, immerses herself in the vibrant Louisiana lifestyle. Having been brought up in the charming city of Rochester, New York, she now resides in the heart of Louisiana with her two precious rescue dogs. Maggie has always harbored a burning desire to write a book, a
passion that remained unfulfilled until 2016 when at the Atlanta airport she met a man and it sparked her creative side.
After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, she decided to start the journey of getting her books published. Maggie makes a mean New York-style pizza, enjoys reading, watching movies, and relaxing at home with her spouse—the very man from the airport!
Her debut novel Rendezvous at Midlife is book one in a series, with the additional three books releasing in rapid succession.
GIVEAWAY!
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The Heroine’s Labyrinth by Douglas A. Burton blitz with giveaway
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The Heroine’s Labyrinth
Douglas A. Burton
Publication date: March 24th 2024
Genres: Non-fiction
For decades, the hero’s journey has had a major influence on storytelling and story structure. Now, Douglas A. Burton presents a groundbreaking new paradigm for writers everywhere. Sourced entirely from heroine-led fiction—a stunning new narrative form takes shape with familiar archetypes in a never before seen outline. Burton adds something original and fascinating to the world of storytelling. Discover the dynamism of story, conflict, character development, archetypes, and heroism in an entirely new light. From myth to literature, from TV to film, The Heroine’s Labyrinth explores recurrent themes and patterns modeled by heroic women in fiction. The labyrinth model has the potential to turn conventional understanding of story structure upside down.
Inside, you’ll encounter 18 archetypal designs that form a distinctive narrative arc, each one rich with profound insights and powerful new perspectives. Discover how stories are constructed through powerful archetypes such as the Masked Minotaur, the Sacred Fire, the Beast as Ally, the Poisoned Apple, and more. Novelists, screenwriters, RPG gamers, and memoirists will gain waves of creative inspiration while reading The Heroine’s Labyrinth. You won’t be able to put it down.
“Douglas Burton has cracked the code.”
—Christopher Vogler, author of The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers
“Burton’s prose is accessible, lucid, and concise without sacrificing detail: He moves quickly through the traits that make up his “Heroine’s Labyrinth,” substantiating his theories with more than 200 examples from texts, from the Bible to Barbie. “
—Kirkus Reviews
“The Heroine’s Labyrinth is a must-read for storytellers seeking to expand their craft and embrace the transformative potential of female-centric storytelling.”
—K.C. Finn, author of the Shadeborn series
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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EXCERPT:
A DIFFERENT KIND OF JOURNEY
So, why a labyrinth? While watching the film version of The Shining, I concluded that the story is actually about Wendy Torrance, the true heroine of the tale. The star power of Jack Nicholson misled me into thinking the story was about Jack Torrance. Once I rewatched the film as a story about a heroine, my entire understanding of the story shifted. Near the beginning of the film, Wendy tours the Overlook Hotel and comments, “I feel like I have to leave a trail of breadcrumbs.” Her statement, which also references the cautionary folktale, Hansel and Gretel, struck me as an intriguing piece of story exposition. The tour showed Wendy the many hallways, chambers, and dead ends she’d soon have to navigate at the Overlook Hotel. Wendy Torrance was in a labyrinth. As if to further emphasize this thematic reality, a real labyrinth—the infamous hedge maze—lay just outside, a perfect literary complement to the symbolism of the heroine’s setting.
Th is first and most basic orientation sets the tone for the entire story you plan on telling, whether it’s fiction, a personal memoir, or even a roleplaying adventure. The nature of the journey determines the nature of the conflict, which often defines the villain. These are organic structures that emerge within a story. Th e hero’s journey plots a linear course, traveling from point A to point B, ever onward, further from home and into unfamiliar environs before returning home. However, many heroines in fiction go on a different journey, one characterized by repetitive circles and often closer to home. Indeed, most heroines never leave the native culture. The adventure hides behind closed doors and interior spaces of otherwise familiar places. The journey travels inward and creates incredible friction while the heroine develops her sense of identity and self-realization. So, many heroine-centric stories feature heroines in conflict with their native culture, and this conflict lays the groundwork for the entire narrative structure I call the “Heroine’s Labyrinth.”
Author Bio:
Douglas A. Burton is a novelist and storyteller whose various works emphasize heroic women in fiction. Burton’s debut historical novel, Far Away Bird, brought Byzantine Empress Theodora to life through an intimate biographical account. The novel collected numerous awards including gold medals for the IBPA’s Best New Voice in Fiction, Readers ’Favorite Historical Personage, and eLit’s Best Historical Fiction eBook. Far Away Bird was also a finalist for the Montaigne Medal (Eric Hoffer Book Award) and Screencraft’s Cinematic Book competition. Burton’s newest book, The Heroine’s Labyrinth, is a nonfiction writing craft book that offers a paradigm shift for story structure. Presented as a distinctive counterpart to the well-trodden hero’s journey, Burton explores the unique narrative arc and archetypal designs that recur in heroine-led fiction. He currently lives in Austin, TX with his wonderful wife, Crystal, and two energetic boys, Jacob and Lucas.
GIVEAWAY!
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Seasick by Kristin Cast, Pintip Dunn #bookreview #YA #mystery #thriller
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**
Title: Seasick
Author: Kristin Cast, Pintip Dunn
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: June 11, 2024
Page Count: 329
My rating: 3 1/2 stars
About the book:
There’s a killer on board a luxury yacht, and two former friends must team up to figure out which of their privileged classmates has a penchant for murder before they become victims themselves. Don’t miss out on this gripping thriller from New York Times bestselling authors Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn!
Ex–best friends Naya Morgan and Yana Bunpraserit have always felt like outsiders in their small Oklahoma town. But this year, everything changes when they’re inducted into an exclusive society of Yatesville High’s top recent graduates. Unimaginable opportunities await them, starting with a celebratory yacht trip to Bermuda. Despite the likely onslaught of microaggressions and backhanded compliments from their peers—in addition to their own rocky past—Yana and Naya are ready for an epic voyage.
Then one of their classmates is brutally murdered, leaving them stuck at sea with a killer. Yana and Naya may have avoided each other for years, yet as the body count rises, rekindling their friendship might be the only way they’ll both survive.
Seasick by Kristin Cast, Pintip Dunn is a young adult mystery/thriller book. The story in Seasick is basically a take on the old locked room/yacht type of mystery and is one that does alternate the point of view between the characters.
Naya Morgan and Yana Bunpraserit used to be best friends being the only diverse students in their small Oklahoma town but have since grown apart. Now however both girls have been invited on a private yacht cruise to Bermuda after inducted into an exclusive society of Yatesville High’s top graduates. Once onboard the yacht though things take a dark turn when one of their classmates is brutally murdered.
Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn are both authors that I have read and enjoyed in the past so seeing the cover of this new young adult thriller have the yacht on it and cruising being a huge love of mine I couldn’t pass this one by. For the most part this was a solid locked room mystery and I did enjoy the fast paced action of the book. The story did end up feeling a tad unbelievable overall though if you think back on the wrap up and generally not being a fan of the two characters having such similar names which had me scratching my head a few times early on to distinguish them I ended up with a rating at three and a half stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
Find this book online:
About the authors:
Kristin Cast is a #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling author who cowrote the House of Night series, which has sold over 25 million copies. She was born on an Air Force base in Japan and grew up in Oklahoma. Her passion for storytelling came from the stacks at dusty bookstores and in rickety chairs in old coffeehouses in Portland. Her books have been sold into over 40 countries.Pintip Dunn is a New York Times bestselling author of young adult fiction and a two-time RITA® award winner. Her books have been translated into four languages, and they have won or been nominated for several following awards. A first-generation Thai American, she grew up in a tiny town in Kansas. Pintip now lives in Maryland with her family.
Love Signals by Melanie Summers blitz with giveaway
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Love Signals
Melanie Summers
(Love Struck Romantic Comedy, #2)
Publication date: June 6th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
A loud-out-loud, opposites-attract, only-one-bed, revenge romantic comedy from Amazon All-Star Melanie Summers…
Allie Cammareri is about to get her revenge. It’s been twelve years coming, but she’s finally going to defeat the ex who stole her research then dumped her.
She’s in a race against him to finish the same big project, and there can only be one winner. All she needs is a few more weeks of working around the clock, and victory will be hers.
So when her boss announces she’s being pulled off the project to mentor a Hollywood A-lister who’s preparing for an upcoming movie role, Allie is devastated. She doesn’t care that it’s People’s Sexiest Man, Hudson Finch.
Allie refuses to let him get in her way, even if Hudson is the most distracting (and delicious-smelling) man on the planet. But between the close confines of her tiny office and a night stranded together in a secluded mountain cabin, her feelings for Hudson turn into something she never could’ve predicted.
She may be falling hard for him, but can Allie really find her happily ever after in his muscley arms?
*** Love Signals is an irresistibly charming, deliciously dishy, banter-filled tale about an ordinary woman and the superstar who falls for her. With a crazy cast—including a father who’s sure no one will ever be good enough for his little girl—there’s sure to be plenty of cringe-worthy moments, lots of laughs, and even a few tears. It’s a standalone rom-com with a few tablespoons of extra spice than a regular Melanie Summers book.***
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EXCERPT:
I stare at myself in the mirror. I’m brushing my teeth with some sort of magical brush that feels like it’s a thousand tiny hands massaging my gums. The toothpaste is a ginger mint flavor that comes from an old-timey-looking silver tube that is probably made from actual silver. I’m wearing the softest, coziest striped men’s flannel p.j.’s of all time (seriously, they feel like getting a big, warm hug). The slippers are too big but the fleece lining is so incredibly soft, I want to live in them forever.
What is happening? Seriously? What? How?
I’m getting a glimpse into what it’s like to be rich and famous. Well, rich, anyway. Or someone with generous rich friends. But it’s not real. This isn’t my life, it’s his. It’ll never be my life. I’m Allegra Cammareri, nerd, scientist, loving daughter, and pushover auntie. I’m not some sexy sex goddess who men like Hudson Finch fall for. They fall for voluptuous hotties from Brazil or icy blondes with perfect skin from Sweden. Not girls like me. I wasn’t even interesting enough to keep Lando’s attention, and he’s a fellow nerd.
But it doesn’t matter because that’s not what this is, and I know it. But whatever it is, it’s incredibly fun. And a little flirty, and totally exciting, even though it’s under the world’s weirdest circumstances. I’m here to hang out with a man who I don’t want around (or so I thought) while he recovers from a poisonous spider bite.
And he’s sweet and funny and thoughtful and sexy as hell, and … and I’m going to get so badly hurt if I don’t hit the brakes on my feelings. But maybe, just for tonight, since I’m here anyway, I could just let myself enjoy being with him. As a friend.
Yes, that’s what we are. Friends. New ones. Who flirt with each other while one of us is drugged. And really, I’m only flirting with him to distract him from his situation, which, when you think about it, is an act of service. So, in a way, I have to keep flirting with him. It’s what Jesus would do. But as soon as we’re back at the office however, it’ll be all business. But for now … fun.
Author Bio:
Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.
Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.
In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally – then she’ll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for ‘K’ Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn’t require makeup and/or nylons).
Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she’s not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken ‘from above’. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something–more like just staying until they turn the lights off.
She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.
GIVEAWAY!
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Feeding My Addiction…
**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**
I have a very very short post this week with only one new book added to my TBR. Check out the lovely cover on this one though, who could say no to Hawaii?? 😀
As always clicking the covers will take you to the book on Amazon!**
New additions from Netgalley June 2nd – June 9th
Taylor Jenkins Reid meets 100 Foot Wave in this dazzling new romance by USA TODAY bestselling author Sara Ackerman.
‘Iwa Young’s life is high in the Maui rainforest. As a field biologist, she’s happiest in company with trees and birds and waterfalls. When a developer arrives with plans for a so-called “eco resort” in the middle of a forest full of endangered species, ‘Iwa puts all her energy into the fight to protect it. But a chance encounter threatens to distract her. His name is Dane Parsons, and he’s a big-wave surfer from California. ‘Iwa has a few unbreakable rules, and at the top of her list: never date a surfer.
Dane Parsons is part of an underground group of big-wave riders, and his connection to the ocean runs deep. When he meets ‘Iwa, he can’t get her out of his mind. But ‘Iwa wants nothing to do with Dane until he offers to help protect her beloved forest and waterfall. Always on the hunt for the ultimate ride, Dane suddenly glimpses something even greater, but just out of reach.
In this thunderous love story, we travel deep into the Maui rainforest and hop across the globe from Hawai’i to California to Portugal, chasing waves the size of nine-story buildings—where the unthinkable is always just one breath away.
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